30. Drew
DREW
The drive home is… unusual.
I keep my eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel, the other tapping absently against it like my brain is trying to catch up to everything that just happened.
I was in Violet's house.
Holding a kitten we'd named together.
Her sister almost exposed... something.
And somehow... I hadn't left.
When I should’ve run screaming into the night.
“Why was she in the bushes?” I mutter.
Silence.
And why didn’t I run inside and lock the door?
“Why did her sister say stalking?”
That one sits heavier. Because it didn’t feel like a joke.
And even though Callie corrected it to walking, I know what I heard.
I deal with numbers for a living. Details matter.
And that detail won’t leave me alone.
I shake my head, pushing it away. “No,” I mutter. “That’s—no.”
I take a turn a little too fast. I don’t run off the road, but it’s enough to make me realize I’m breaking rules—again—because of Violet.
All I do now is break rules.
Focus.
“Why did I stay?” I ask out loud.
There’s no answer for that question.
I should've left.
Any normal person would have.
But I stayed.
I must’ve lost my damn mind.
We watched Luna eat like she’d never seen food before.
Like we’re a… couple.
I swallow hard.
Do I want to be a couple?
Wait a minute.
You’re getting ahead of yourself.
Do you want to go on a second date with her?
Yes.
Yes, I do.
Maybe that’s the problem.
I should just ask her out.
I break out in hives at the mere thought.
It’s been way too long since I’ve asked any woman on a date. The last person I asked was… my ex-wife.
My jaw tightens slightly as I pull into Sebastian’s driveway.
I kill the engine and sit there, staring into the darkness.
My thoughts are a train wreck.
“Why did I say our kitten?”
I close my eyes, then drag a hand down my face.
That’s not normal.
Not even close.
But the worst part?
It didn’t feel wrong.
I let out a slow breath, staring at the house in front of me. The lights are off. It’s quiet. Dark. Normal.
Or as normal as a house can be, given that it contains my brother and his former stalker-turned-wife.
But still... they’re mostly normal.
A thrum of unease runs through me.
If Callie is right and Violet is stalking me… and I’m attracted to her… Does that mean I’m like my brother?
Do I have a… stalker kink?
An “I-wanna-be-stalked” fetish?
Because that feels like a problem.
I huff out a breath, get out of the car, and head inside.
No more thinking.
No more overanalyzing.
Just sleep.
Maybe.
Morning comes too fast.
I stumble into the kitchen, feeling like a zombie as I grab a mug and pour coffee. Ivy walks in, still half-asleep.
“Morning,” she mumbles.
“Morning.”
She pauses mid-step, blinking at me. “You look like you didn’t sleep.”
She’s not wrong.
I probably look like I got hit by a truck.
“That obvious?”
“Painfully.”
Sebastian walks in a second later, already dressed and alert.
“Rough night?” he asks me.
I take a sip of coffee and consider lying.
But I don’t.
“I found a kitten.” I take another sip. “Found might not be the right word, though.”
They’re silent as they blink at me, processing my words.
Ivy perks up. “You what?”
“Found a kitten.” I shrug. “It’s small,” I say, holding my hands up slightly. “Gray and white. Showed up on the deck. Thought it was about to attack me.”
Sebastian chuckles. “You think everything is about to attack you.”
“It tried,” I add, slightly defensive.
Ivy gasps. “Oh my God. Where is it?”
“With Violet.”
That gets both of their attention.
Sebastian’s brow lifts slightly. “Violet, huh?”
“Yeah.” I take another sip of coffee, like this is a completely normal conversation. “She’s keeping her for now. Until I move.”
Ivy is already smiling, fully awake now. “Your girlfriend is keeping the kitten until you move into your house. So domestic.”
I’m fully awake now. “We aren’t a couple—”
“You sure about that?” Sebastian raises his brows.
“Yes, I’m—”
“Totally a couple.” Ivy waves her hand. “You’re just in denial.”
Sebastian chuckles, pouring coffee into a mug and handing it to his wife. “Denial should be Drew’s middle name.”
I snort. “You’re one to talk.”
Ivy kisses Sebastian, then turns to me, excitement in her eyes. “Her. Oh my gosh—a female kitten. Can I meet her?”
I huff out a quiet breath. “Yeah, probably.”
“Probably?” she repeats. “Drew, I need to meet this kitten.”
“That feels dramatic.”
“It’s not dramatic. It’s necessary.”
Sebastian leans against the counter, watching this unfold. “What’s her name?”
I hesitate for a second before answering. “Luna.”
Ivy melts. “Oh, I love that.”
Sebastian nods once. “Good name.”
I tense at the way he’s staring at me.
“So you and your non-girlfriend named her together?”
I scratch the back of my neck. Pretty sure I’m getting hives again.
“It was a joint endeavor,” I say carefully.
“Wait...” Ivy steps closer, studying me like a specimen beneath a microscope. I don’t like the way she’s looking at me. At all.
“When did this happen? Because you didn’t find this kitten before we went to bed.” She waves a hand. “And there’s no sign of Violet.”
She’s too smart for her own good.
“You went to bed before us,” Sebastian says.
Fuck.
Of course he has to bring that up.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“So that means,” Ivy claps her hands together. “Violet came over after we went to bed.”
I frantically shake my head. “No. That’s not what it means.”
“Really?” Sebastian folds his arms over his chest. “Enlighten us.”
I glare at him. “I couldn’t sleep—”
“Probably because he knew Violet was sneaking over.”
“I didn’t invite her.”
Sebastian pulls Ivy against his side. “I don’t believe that. What do you think, wife?”
She beams at him, then at me. “Not at all. Drew was living a teenage dream last night.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I was not. It was purely accidental.”
“How does someone accidentally sneak over?” Sebastian asks.
Ivy stares up at him. “Seriously?”
I take a gulp of my coffee and burn my mouth.
“Ow. Ow, ow, ow.”
Sebastian smirks.
Ivy shakes her head, then grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. “Here. Drink this.”
I take a long gulp, hoping it will stop the burn.
And also buying time.
Keep your cool. Don’t get flustered.
“So... back to Violet ‘sneaking’ over.” The smug grin on Sebastian’s face makes me want to pour the rest of the water on him.
Or better yet, my coffee.
“She didn’t sneak over,” I huff. “She just happened to be there.”
He arches a brow. “Happened to?”
I glare at him. “I went outside. There was a kitten. I thought it was going to attack me.”
“You mentioned that.”
Mr. Pickles strolls into the room. He takes one look at me, then comes over, parking his ass in front of me. He flicks his tail, judging me with his big eyes.
“Don’t you start. Just cause you witnessed it—”
“Oh, Mr. Pickles witnessed it?” Ivy looks at Sebastian. “We may need to call a cat psychic. See if he or she can reveal what really happened.”
“Dear God.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “A cat nearly attacked me. I fell on my ass—”
“You fall a lot,” Ivy says matter-of-factly. “Remember when you ripped your pants falling off the deck when Mr. Pickles brought you that mouse?”
Sebastian nods. “It was a polite gift.”
“A gift?” I point at him. “It was a fucking dead rodent.”
“Would you rather he gave you a live one?” Ivy asks.
“Jesus. It’s too early for this.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Plus, he did that during your honeymoon.”
“He was bonding with you,” Ivy says with a smile.
“So how did Violet show up? There was a kitten. You feared for your life,” Sebastian smirks. “Probably screamed like a final girl and made the poor cat deaf.”
Ivy nods solemnly. “No doubt.”
“I didn’t scream,” I say, agitated by this conversation. “I fell and... Violet appeared.”
“She appeared?” Sebastian’s brow is wrinkled. “Like she’s... magical? Or a witch?”
“For fuck’s sake. No.” Lack of sleep ruins me. That’s the only explanation for what I say next. “She came out of the damn shrubs.”
Silence.
Sebastian’s eyes widen. “From the—”
“Don’t say it!” I point at him. “Don’t say a damn—”
“Oh my God!” Ivy bounces on her toes, clapping. “She’s just like me.”
Yeah, that’s not comforting.
I lower my head... and meet Mr. Pickles’ smug expression. I point at him. “Stop it.”
“Drew has his own Ivy,” Ivy sings.
“No. That’s not—”
“Then what do you call it?” Sebastian moves, stopping right in front of me. Mr. Pickles stares at me from between his legs, judging me.
“She was just... concerned. She was walking and—”
“Walking through the shrubs?” Ivy asks, coming up beside him.
I’ve officially been ganged up on.
“Lemme get this straight? You couldn’t sleep. Went outside and nearly got attacked by a fluffy kitten? Fell while trying to escape with your life... and your stalker pops out of the shrubs?”
“Not my stalker.”
“You keep saying that, but it doesn’t make it true,” Sebastian deadpans.
“I hate you.” I glare at him, then at Ivy. “And you.”
My gaze drops to Mr. Pickles. “And you.”
Mr. Pickles lifts his paw and licks it. It almost looks like he’s playing a tiny violin.
I hate my life.
“We should have them over,” Ivy says unexpectedly.
I blink. “Have who over?”
“Violet and Luna,” she says, like it’s obvious. “I want to meet your cat. And talk to…um… Violet.”
I blink. “You were going to say stalker.”
She smiles. “I was.”
“She’s not a stalker. And she’s certainly not mine.”
Ivy and Sebastian exchange a look.
“Whatever you say,” they say in unison.
I huff out a breath.
This whole conversation is completely ridiculous.
“Come on. Invite her over.”
I look at the clock. “It’s early.”
It’s an excuse. It feels like a lot having Violet and Luna come over. Especially after this disastrous morning.
“Later,” Ivy says, bouncing again. “After Sebastian comes home from work.”
“I don’t know—”
“I’ll come home early,” he says casually.
“See. Perfect solution.” Ivy grins like he just landed on the moon.
My brows raise. “You will?”
He shrugs slightly. “If she’s bringing the kitten, yeah.”
I narrow my eyes. “You don’t care about the kitten.”
“No,” he agrees. “But I do want to understand the girl who rescues feral animals and pops out of our shrubs in the middle of the night.”
His lips twitch.
I have the sudden urge to punch him. But he’s bigger and stronger.
I sigh. “Not the point.”
“It feels like the point,” Sebastian says.
I scrub a hand over my face.
“I already told you. She said she couldn’t sleep. She was walking. She heard a noise—”
“—And emerged from the bushes.” Sebastian’s lips twitch again.
“Ugh. You’re ridiculous.”
“Do you believe her?” He asks, his expression serious.
“Um…I don’t know,” I admit.
And that’s the truth.
But I want to believe her.
Otherwise... she’s stalking me.
And I’m not sure I can deal with that.
Ivy leans forward, clearly invested now.
“Well, I still want to meet Luna,” she says. “So you need to invite Violet over.”
I huff out a breath.
“Of course you do.”
“So text her,” she insists. “Invite her over.”
“I agree with my wife. Invite Violet and the cat over.” He nuzzles her neck.
Yuck. I can’t wait to move and get away from the newlyweds.
I hesitate. Again.
Because this is crossing into something else.
Something bigger.
But then I remember the way Violet held Luna.
And the way she looked at me.
Something inside me warms.
I want to see her again.
Maybe if I spend enough time with her, I’ll finally stop wondering if she's stalking me.
"...Yeah," I say.
Ivy grins.
Mr. Pickles stares at me, looking pleased.
Sebastian watches me intently.
And for some reason, it feels less like curiosity and more like a warning.